By Gifty Boateng
Loudmouth politician and Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who said he is more powerful and fearful than President John Dramani Mahama, is now begging for mercy.
According to the mining kingpin, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the Mahama administration has rendered him penniless as his bank accounts have been frozen and his company’s mining license revoked, as a result of alleged illegal mining activities in forest reserves in the Western Region.
The action by authorities, have put him in a tight corner as he is unable to pay for his children’s school fees and many others.
He insists the sanctions put on his head are greater than the one prescribed by the European Union against Vladimir Putin’s Russia, which has been fighting with Ukraine for a number of years now.
Speaking following a failed search in his residence by operatives of National Security, Wontumi as he is popularly called said he is just surviving by the grace of God.
“The sanction Mr Mahama has put on my head is more than what European Union put on Russia. Yes! I have no access to any account. I don’t have access to any account”, he said. Asked how he is able to survive he responded “It is just by God’s grace”, he said on Friday afternoon on Accra based Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’ programme.
The National Security on Friday May 23, stormed the NPP chairman’s residence in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, with a search warrant but he refused to open his doors. The operatives, who hanged around for a couple of hours, fully armed, later left the scene.
While they hanged around, Wontumi was heard on his radio station, saying he has not done anything to warrant the search. He called on Ghanaians especially NPP members and supporters, to rise up because he is being chased because of them.
“Ghanaians, rise up. All NPP members, rise up. I am being intimidated by President John Dramani because of you—members of the NPP. I have never been a vice president, a member, a CEO, or a board member of any state institute.
In 2013, my business was collapsed, yet when we [the NPP] came to power, I didn’t retaliate. Now that you’ve assumed office on 2025, you’re still targeting my companies.
Even my bank accounts have been frozen. Today, I struggled to eat and pay my children’s school fees. What state money came to me that justifies this harassment”, he cried out.
Meanwhile, deputy minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Teilarbi, has said that Wontumi would have to comply by presenting himself to lawful authorities.
Reacting to Friday’s incident, he said the National Security has done no wrong and that if the regional chairman feels otherwise, he can proceed to court.
He is expected to meet with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today Monday May 26, to assist them in their investigations.